274: Public Space Spectacle: The Role of Information Technology As An Activator of Urban Life

This paper investigates strategies for reactivating public space through the convergence of digital and physical realms, using art as a catalyst for public engagement. Drawing on an architecture design studio conducted by NJIT in collaboration with the Kunstmeile Krems, an Art Organization in Austria this research illustrates how information technologies such as extended reality (XR), sensor networks, projection systems, and interactive media can be deployed to transform public space into vibrant, hybrid spectacles. Through careful integration, design methodologies, and critical reflection, the study argues that information technologies, when treated as design materials, become activators of urban life: enabling new social encounters and wayfinding, layering narrative content over physical space, and shifting how people perceive, appropriate, and value public realm. The findings suggest that when information technology and physical space are purposefully integrated, public spaces can be transformed into participatory spectacles that connect communities and institutions in meaningful, culturally resonant ways.